In the 1950s, as African colonies started to declare their independence, Britain sought a compromise. Why not create a nation where races can co-exist? At least that was the plan...

Enter the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, a state that arose from British territories of Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia, and (obviously) Nyasaland. Here whites and blacks could live together in harmony... under white rule, of course. Maybe some educated blacks could get a vote... maybe.

It didn't last. Roy Welensky, the Prime Minister of the Federation during most of its existence, tried to suppress the "one man, one vote" cries of the black majority, but unrest grew. The Federation was dissolved after a decade, in 1963. Soon after, Nyasaland was granted independence as Malawi, and Northern Rhodesia transformed into Zambia. Its southern neighbor was kept under British rule until 1980, when it became Zimbabwe.

Today, British colonialism in Africa is long gone, and the three countries are prospering...

Who are we kidding? No, they are not. No matter by what demographics one looks at, they are among the worst in the world. Maybe if Britain came up with a better plan in the 1950s...